Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B17/00—Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; Cables; Casings; Tubings
  • E21B17/02—Couplings; joints
  • E21B17/04—Couplings; joints between rod or the like and bit or between rod and rod or the like
  • E21B17/042—Threaded
  • E21B17/0423—Threaded with plural threaded sections, e.g. with two-step threads
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B17/00—Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; Cables; Casings; Tubings
  • E21B17/02—Couplings; joints
  • E21B17/04—Couplings; joints between rod or the like and bit or between rod and rod or the like
  • E21B17/042—Threaded
  • E21B17/0426—Threaded with a threaded cylindrical portion, e.g. for percussion rods
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L15/00—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints
  • F16L15/001—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with conical threads
  • F16L15/003—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with conical threads with sealing rings
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L15/00—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints
  • F16L15/001—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with conical threads
  • F16L15/004—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with conical threads with axial sealings having at least one plastically deformable sealing surface
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L15/00—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints
  • F16L15/006—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with straight threads
  • F16L15/008—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with straight threads with sealing rings
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L15/00—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints
  • F16L15/006—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with straight threads
  • F16L15/009—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with straight threads with axial sealings having at least one plastically deformable sealing surface
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L15/00—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints
  • F16L15/04—Screw-threaded joints; Forms of screw-threads for such joints with additional sealings

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a threaded joint or connection for tubes, pipes and the like, in particular for connecting tubes of predefined length to make strings used in the hydrocarbon industry, especially for use in the field of OCTG (Oil Country Tubular Goods), for use in drilling especially in applications where it is preferable that said pipes do not rotate during make-up operations, and in line pipes.
• OCTG Oil Country Tubular Goods
• Background of the invention Searching for oil or, more generally, hydrocarbons has become more demanding in terms of hardware and devices in recent years because oil and gas fields or reservoirs are located deeper under the earth's surface or in places difficult to reach. Prospecting for and exploitation of hydrocarbon fields demands hardware which can withstand higher loads and ensures optima! sealability.
• the market for so-called premium connections is increasing and research is being carried out to offer new improved joints to meet market needs.
• a primary design requirement for threaded joints is to resist high load torques to ensure that during drilling or running operations, the joint does not fail due to over- torques (i.e. to resist higher torques than connections of similar materials and wall thickness/geometry).
• designing joints having good resistance to high loads generally means that high torques are required during make-up operations, at least in the last part of the make-up operation, just before the abutment shoulder is energized with danger of plastic deformation of the metal in the joint portions. In this part of the make-up there is also the danger of causing galling between sealing surfaces.
• Document US5794985 discloses a threaded pipe connection for connecting two segments of pipe having externally threaded pin members, one pin member having external right-hand threads and the other pin member having left-hand threads.
• An internally threaded coupling has two portions having respectively right and left-hand threads that mate with the threading on the respective pin members.
• a plurality of mating lugs and grooves on the ends of the pin members hold the pins from relative rotation when the connection is being made up.
• Document US2006273586 discloses a threaded joint comprising a first pin nose comprising a nose surface, a shoulder and a seal surface therebetween, a second pin nose comprising a nose surface, a shoulder and a seal surface corresponding to the first pin sea! surface, and a mating coupling with an inner seal support.
• the first pin nose is in an overlapping axial position with the second pin nose such that contact occurs between the first pin nose surface and the second pin shoulder surface acting as a positive-stop torque shoulder, with contact occurring between the first pin seal surface and the second pin seal surface, to form a seal therebetween.
• the inner seal support is in an overlapping axial position to the first pin nose and the second pin nose, with a selected diametrical gap existing between the inner seal support and the first pin nose and second pin nose.
• the threaded joint can be made-up with substantially no relative rotation between the first and second tubular sections.
• One among the first pin nose surface and the second pin nose surface is castellated, in a similar fashion to a slotted nut, with the corresponding second pin nose shoulder or first pin nose shoulder being correspondingly castellated.
• both tubular sections may be restrained from rotating relative to each other while the coupling is rotated.
• the different thread pitches cause the pin noses to be brought together axially without relative rotation between the tubular sections. Torque continues to be applied to the coupling until the selected make-up is achieved.
• the solution proposed by document US5794985 relates to threaded pipe connections with thread designs having one pin with left hand threaded end and the second pin with right hand threaded end, where both have the same pitch and taper.
• a first problem is handling fragility due to the castellated pin ends and inner seal support. In fact if a lug or a groove of a castellated pin end is hit and bent during the handling of the pipe in the yard, the make-up will be much more difficult, with the risk of cross threading and galling increasing dramatically. It may also harm the internal flush or drift.
• Another problem relates to manufacturing, because the lugs and grooves, as well as the inner seal support, have to be machined with very precise tolerances, increasing the cost of the connection and the time needed to machine it. Moreover it is technically complicated to cut a right handed thread and a left handed thread at the same time. It is impractical from the cost aspect.
• the disclosed arrangement permits the connection to be assembled to the point short of relative sliding movement between the complementary sealing surfaces on the pipe ends and final tightening is accomplished by restraining the respective pipes from relative rotation while rotating the connector to draw the two pipe ends together into compressive sealing engagement without relative sliding in order to prevent galling of the sealing surfaces.
• the inclined frustoconical end surfaces of both pipe sections have their virtual vertex lying on the pipe axis. The inclination of each of the frustoconical end surfaces is such that they are obliquely positioned in the same orientation relative to the pipe axes.
• the angles of the frustoconical end surfaces are slightly different by an angular value of 2° to 5°, to cause the pipe ends, or the pipe ends and the metallic annular sealing rings, depending upon the embodiment being considered, to first make contact at inner edges when the ends are drawn together.
• the resulting seal commences at the innermost part of the junction and progresses to the exterior of the junction as the axial pressure between the pipe ends increases by virtue of the continued rotation of connector to draw the pipe ends together.
• a threaded joint comprising a female threaded sleeve, defined as the coupling, a first male pipe with a respective threaded end portion, defined as first pin, and a second male pipe with a respective threaded end portion, defined as second pin, the first pin being configured to be made up in a first threaded portion of the coupling and the second pin being configured to be made up in a second threaded portion of the coupling so as to be axially aligned on a common longitudinal axis, wherein the threaded end portion of the first pin has a pitch different from the pitch of the threaded end portion of the second pin, the coupling having a thread of the first threaded portion mating with a thread of the threaded portion of the first pin, and a thread of the second threaded
• the mentioned objects are achieved by means of a method having the features of claim 9 and comprising the steps of: a) performing a first make-up operation in which the first pin with larger pitch threading is inserted into the first extremity of the coupling until a position of the first pin is reached which is deeper within the coupling than a position determined by a final made up design position of the joint, b) performing a second make-up operation in which the second pin with smaller pitch threading is inserted into the second extremity of the coupling until respective contact surfaces of first and second pins engage, c) rotating the coupling about its axis on both first and second pins to unscrew the coupling in the direction from the first pin to the second pin, whereby for each incremental angular turn of the coupling an axial displacement of the second pin forward of the coupling occurs which is longer than the axial displacement of the first pin rearward of said coupling.
• the joint according to the invention has two mating threaded pin ends inserted into a coupling shaped as a sleeve.
• the thread pitch of one pin end is different from the thread pitch of the other pin end belonging to the joint.
• each coupling side of the sleeve has a thread not only of the same shape, but also of the same pitch so that each coupling end matches the corresponding pin end.
• each of the two mating pins has a slanted/oblique shape, also known as horse-shoe type because of its typical shape.
• a slanted/oblique shape also known as horse-shoe type because of its typical shape.
• the present invention does not require a perfect alignment, since it is self-aligning because of the wedge effect produced by the contact surfaces of the pins. Even though the elliptical surfaces, i.e. the contact front surfaces of the slant shaped pin ends, need to be in contact for the joint to be made up, this contact is automatically reached during the makeup. The mating surfaces slide one on the other to achieve alignment in the last stage of the make-up operation.
• the threaded end portion of the first pin has a larger pitch, i.e. the first pin has a high number of threads per inch, while the threaded end portion of the second pin has a smaller pitch pin, i.e. the second pin has a low number of threads per inch,. Therefore, the first pin has a number of threads per inch higher than the number of threads per inch on the second pin, or vice versa. It is appreciated by a person skilled in the art that it is a matter of choice to decide which is the pin with larger pitch and the pin with smaller pitch.
• the joint includes a back nut, also known as a self-locking nut.
• the back nut is placed between the pipe body of the larger pitch pin and the coupling or sleeve.
• the back nut When the back nut is tightened towards the coupling during the make-up operation, it becomes a mechanical locking element with a very high torque being needed to make the connection fail or open.
• the joint reaches its characteristics of excellent resistance to over-torques from the synergy created by the slant shaped ends combined with the back nut, even in cases when the joint is made up with a relative low make-up torque or even when only hand tightening is used.
• the threaded portion at the extremity of one pin has a slight taper which is different from the taper of the threaded portion at the extremity of the other pin of the joint.
• the slanted surfaces of the two pins can be formed in two steps, the slanted surfaces of the pins being offset into the wall thickness about the longitudinal axis of the joint.
• both pin noses have two mating shoulder surfaces (an inner and an outer shoulder surface) and a seal surface transversal to the two shoulder surfaces.
• the two mating shoulder surfaces are slanted with substantially the same slant angle.
• the slant angle of the plane corresponding to one shoulder may be different from the angle of the second shoulder.
• the slanted end surface is machined in two steps, so that the first slant surface acts as the outer shoulder, the second slant surface acts as the inner shoulder and the transversal surface acts as the metal to metal seal.
• these slanted shoulder surfaces do not act as positive stop-torque shoulders, and do not increase the make-up torque of the joint.
• both slanted shoulder surfaces act as divided slant shaped pin ends, so that when the connection is made up with a relative low make-up torque, these slant shaped pin ends act as locking elements, increasing the torque needed to make the connection fail and increasing the sealability of the joint.
• the two-step slant shaped pin ends act in the same way as the slanted surface of the first embodiment, but the offset of the slanted surfaces provides a seal surface.
• the two slanted surfaces are machined into the wall thickness of the pipe. These slanted surfaces do not comprise lugs and grooves or castellation.
• the seal surfaces may have different shapes:
• the joint has a preferred method for make-up.
• a - The coupling is pre-mounted onto the first pin with a thread having larger pitch.
• the last part of the rotation of the coupling energizes the nose of one pin against the nose of the other pin and also energizes both pins against the thread of the coupling.
• the slanted shape of the pin ends creates a wedge effect between the pin noses. d -
• the make-up operation finishes by screwing the back nut against an extremity of the coupling.
• said last rotation of the coupling guarantees the shoulder contact and energizes the seal, increasing the sealability of the joint.
• the joint can be used, for example, but not exclusively, to make:
• Figure 1 shows a section along an axial plane of a joint according to the invention
• Figure 2 shows a section along an axial plane of a joint according to the invention, in a first step of the make-up operation
• Figure 2a shows an axial view of a pin comprised in the joint of Fig. 2;
• Figure 3 shows a cross section along an axial plane of the joint of the present invention in another step of the make-up operation
• Figure 4 is a graph showing the torque capacity increase of a joint of the invention (in percentage of the pipe body).
• Figure 5a shows another embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 5b shows an enlarged view of a detail of the Figure 5a
• Figure 6a, 6b and 6c respectively show enlarged views of three embodiments of detail B of fig. 5b.
• the joint of the invention comprises a first pin 1 having a larger pitch thread and a second pin 2 having a smaller pitch thread, and a mating coupling 3 forming the coupling of the joint.
• a first embodiment of the joint shown in a made up position in figure 1 , slanted shaped ends of both pins are in mutual contact.
• a back nut 4 can be advantageously used to prevent the connection from opening due to over-torques. More precisely, the combination of the effects of the slanted shaped pin ends and the use of the back nut 4 provides a joint that can support extremely high torques.
• the joint 10 can have the threaded portions of both pins 1 and 2 cylindrical, better performances are obtained when at least one pin, e.g. pin 2, is tapered in the threaded portion, with a taper angle to the joint axis X of at least a few degrees, corresponding to an inclination comprised between 6,25% and 8,50% of the diameter, while the other pin 1 is cylindrical in its taper, i.e. its taper is 0°.
• the taper of pin 2 ensures energization of the joint on that side, while the other pin 1 , despite not being energized, is prevented from rotating by the back nut 4. In this manner the pin 1 need not be energized and a simpler design for pin 1 and coupling 3 on its portion mating with pin 1 can be chosen.
• both pins 1 and 2 are designed with the threaded portion tapers different from each other. Both pins 1 and 2 have a predetermined energization, so they are prevented from rotating, and the back nut 4, if present, only reinforces the mechanical strength of the joint 10.
• the thread of the two pins 1 and 2 is designed in such a manner that the threading of pin 1 results in a thread pitch different from the thread pitch of pin 2 but with the same thread orientation, i.e. either both portions of the coupling 3 are right handed or both are left handed.
• a particularly advantageous example of thread pitch ratio between pin 1 and pin 2 is a pitch of 8 threads per inch on pin 1 and a pitch of 4 threads per inch on pin 2.
• the threading of both pins 1 and 2 can be designed with either right-hand or left- hand thread, whereby both solutions provide the same advantages.
• the joint of the invention has to be appropriately mounted, in a manner different from the generally adopted make-up operation for state of the art joints.
• the method for mounting the joint 10 comprises the following steps: a) - The coupling 3 is pre-mounted onto the larger pitch pin 1. In the embodiment where the back nut 4 is used, the back nut is placed between the pipe body and the coupling 3, before this step. b) - The other pin 2 (with smaller pitch threading) is screwed onto the coupling 3 only until the first few threads are engaged. c) - The coupling 3 is then rotated about its axis. Due to the difference in pitch, both pins 1 and 2 are forced to approach each other.
• the final make-up is performed by unscrewing the coupling 3 in the direction from the larger pitch end of pin 1 to the smaller pitch end of pin 2.
• the difference in pitch between the pins 1 and 2 causes the pin ends to abut.
• an incremental angular turn of the coupling 3 about pin 1 results in a smaller axial displacement of pin 1 away from pin 2 than the axial displacement of the pin 2 into coupling 3 towards pin 1.
• the unscrewing of the coupling 3 with respect to pin 1 is less than the screwing of the same coupling 3 with respect to pin 2.
• the joint the object of the present invention has a torque capacity similar to or higher than a wedge thread, without the cost and fabrication problems of a wedge.
• the higher limit for the magnitude of the slant angle ⁇ of contact end surfaces 11 and 12 of the pins 1 and 2 is in relation to the wall thickness of the pipe, because a very slender pin nose can cause a plastic instability phenomenon at the moment of make-up. Moreover a greater value of the slant angle ⁇ entails making a longer joint, which is undesirable, because of the mentioned problems.
• the angle ⁇ should be comprised in the range between 0 and 45°, but slightly bigger than 0°, i.e. the plane P must always have an oblique or sloping direction in respect of the axis (X). Still more preferably, the angle ⁇ should be comprised in the range between 15 and 30°. In this manner the contact end surfaces 11 and 12 define an annulus of elliptic shape when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plane P as shown in Fig. 2a.
• Said plastic instability phenomenon can be reduced by using the joint to provide hoop containment to the pin, therefore increasing the resulting resistance of the pin. This requires that the radial gap between pin and coupling be kept to a smaller value than in other cases without instabilities.
• annular cavities can be provided for dope pressure compensation. These annular grooves can be generally placed at one or at both extremities of the threaded portion of either pin or coupling.
• the thread profile can therefore be round, of buttress type or the like.
• the joint of the invention has several advantages, because it can be combined with several important technical features which are important when using the joint in specific environments.
• the joint if appropriate, can incorporate either dope-free technology or ordinary dope.
• seals are provided in different positions in the joint, with annular sealing surfaces of metal-to-metal type and/or elastomeric seal rings 13, 14 positioned in the inner, outer or middle region of the coupling 3 with respect to the threaded portions.
• a metal-to-metal seal 8, 18 can also be incorporated in pins 1 ' and 2' of joint 20.
• the extremity of pin V has two slanted surfaces 7, 9 made in two steps offset into the pipe wall thickness along the longitudinal axis X of the joint, lying both on two planes P and P' parallel one to the other or slightly convergergent to each other.
• Both planes P and P' have an oblique or sloping direction in respect of the axis X, respectively of angles ⁇ and ⁇ , which can have the same values or be of slightly different values.
• extremity of pin 2' has two slanted surfaces 17, 19 made in two steps offset into the pipe wall thickness about the longitudinal axis X of the joint, complementary to the end surfaces 7, 9 of pin V.
• the surfaces 7 and 17 form two first mating shoulder surfaces, and similarly surfaces 9 and 19 form two second shoulder surfaces, which in a view in a direction perpendicular to the planes P and P' appear as annuli of elliptic shape.
• the cylindrical surfaces 8 and 18 transversal to the two shoulder surfaces 7, 9 and, 17, 19 are designed as a seal, preferably metal to metal.
• the seal surfaces can have different shapes from cylindrical: - Frustoconical surfaces 8', 18' and 8", 18", with taper angle comprised between 1 ° and 20°, with the same taper angle or different taper angle, (embodiments of figures 6a, 6b), - one or both curved surfaces 8'", 18'", preferably spherical or toroidal surfaces, (embodiment of figure 6c).
• frustoconical and curved surfaces an improved sealability is reached.
• the shoulder surfaces 7 and 9 of the first pin V are slanted with the angle ⁇ of same magnitude, and so are also the complementary surfaces 17, 19 of the second pin 2'.
• the slant angle ⁇ of the planes 7, 17 corresponding to a first shoulder can be made different from the angle ⁇ of the second planes 9,
• the mounting procedure of the joint 20 is similar to the make up procedure described above. Moreover, as in this embodiment the joint 20 is provided also with metal to metal seal 8, 18, as illustrated in the embodiments of Figures 5a and
• the last rotation of the coupling 3 also ensures that the pin ends surfaces 7 and 9 contact the respective complementary pin end surfaces 17 and 19, at the same time energizing the sea! 8, 18, thus increasing the sealability of the whole joint 20.
• this embodiment of the joint can be provided with a taperd threading on one or on both pins 1', 2'. It can be also envisaged to use seals energizable by means of external pressure or self-energizable, not illustrated.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Non-Disconnectible Joints And Screw-Threaded Joints (AREA)
• Mutual Connection Of Rods And Tubes (AREA)

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Cited By (13)

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• 2009
  • 2009-04-22 EP EP09158436A patent/EP2243920A1/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2010
  • 2010-04-21 AR ARP100101323 patent/AR076365A1/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2010-04-22 US US13/264,731 patent/US9004544B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2010-04-22 WO PCT/IB2010/001603 patent/WO2010122431A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (8)

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